Central Asia news

Uzbekistan: The number of plants in the Red Book list increased

Uzbekistan is going to issue new edition of the Red Book, traditionally listing all rare or endangered species, their number, last and current range and the reason for population decline. The book is ready for publication. However, due to unknown reasons the publication is being delayed.

According to Iskandar Mirabdullaev, acting Director of Zoology Institute under Academy of Sciences of Uzbekistan, "new (fourth) edition of the Red Book includes 184 types of animals – 107 are vertebrate and 77 are invertebrate. This time saiga antelope (which used to live in the steppes of Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan) is also included in the list. Today, we face this endemic is endangered" (saiga antelope cannot be found anywhere else - editorial note).

Saiga. Photo by Ferghana news agency

According to Mr. Mirabdullaev, the number of listed animals remained the same.

- According to classification of International Union for Protection of Nature the Red List includes animals that maintain one of the following statuses: extinct species; endangered species; vulnerable; nearly endangered species; species, on which we lack information and, therefore, it is difficult to award the status for them.

The botanical part of the Red Book includes 324 types of plants. The good news is that 70 types of plants were removed from the third edition of the Book (2006). On the other hand, 90 new types of plants were added in the new book.

Snow leopard is also in the Red Book. Photo by Ferghana news agency

It also has to be mentioned that, according to Iskandar Mirabdullaev, all information for publication of zoological chapter was submitted to Chinor print house under State Committee for environment in February of 2010. In its turn, Botanika scientific center also supplied necessary information for botanical part of the Red Book. The print house promised to produce the book by September, but printed only second tome (zoology).

The Red Book is published only in 1000 copies; de facto, it is delivered only to the authors and senators. Common people cannot get it not only because of limited number of copies but also high price: in 2006 the Red Book was available at about 80 US dollars. Most likely, the new edition of the book will cost even more.